Summa Theologiae

Thomas Aquinas

I-II 68 (selected questions on the gifts of the Holy Spirit)

Question 68

Article 1

Response:

It should be said that if we speak about “gift” and about
“virtue” according to the meaning of the words, then they have no
opposition to each other....

To distinguish the gifts from virtues, we should follow the manner
of speaking of Scripture, in which we are told about them not with
the word “gifts”, but rather with the word “spirits”; for it
is said, “There shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom and of
understanding, etc.” (Isa. 11:2-3). From these words we are clearly
given to understand that those seven things are there enumerated,
insofar as they are in us by divine inspiration. Now inspiration
signifies a certain motion from without. For we should consider that
there are two things that move man: one is within, namely the reason;
the other is without, namely God, as was said above, and as even the
Philosopher says in Eudemian
Ethics.

Now it is manifest that everything which is moved, must be
proportionate to its mover. And the perfection of that which is
mobile, insofar as it is mobile, is the disposition by which it is
disposed to be well moved by its mover. Therefore to the degree that
a mover is higher, the more necessary is it that the mobile be
proportioned to the mover by a more perfect disposition. Thus we see
that a student must be more perfectly disposed, in order to receive a
higher teaching from the teacher. Now it is evident that the human
virtues perfect man insofar as man is naturally moved by reason in
the things that he does within or without. Higher perfections must
therefore be in man, by which he is disposed to be moved by God. And
these perfections are called gifts, not only because they are infused
by God, but also because by them, man is disposed and made more ready
to be moved by the divine inspiration, as is said in Is 50:5: “The
Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not
backward.” And the Philosopher also says that those who are moved
by divine impulse have no need to deliberate according to human
reason, but that they follow an interior impulse, since they are
moved by a better principle than human reason. And this is what some
say, that the gifts perfect man for higher acts than the acts of the
virtues.

Article 2

Whether man needs the gifts for salvation

Objections:

It seems that man does not need the
gifts for salvation.

1. For the gifts are ordered to a certain perfection beyond the
common perfection of virtue. But for salvation, man does not need to
attain such a perfection beyond the common perfection of virtue; for
this kind of perfection does not fall under precept, but under
counsel. Therefore man does not need the gifts for salvation.

2. Further, it is enough for salvation, that man relate well to
divine things and to human things. But man relates well to divine
things by the theological virtues, while he relates well to human
things by the moral virtues. Therefore man does not need the gifts
for salvation.

3. Further, Gregory says in Moralia,
“The Holy Spirit gives wisdom against foolishness, understanding
against dullness, counsel against precipitation, fortitude against
fear, knowledge against ignorance, piety against hardness, and fear
against pride.” But the virtues can provide a sufficient remedy to
take those things away. Therefore man does not need the gifts for
salvation.

On the contrary:

The highest of the gifts seems to be wisdom, and the lowest seems
to be fear. But both of these are necessary for salvation; for it is
said of wisdom, “God loves no one but the man who lives with
wisdom”; (Wis 7:28) and of fear, “He who is without fear, cannot
be made righteous.” Therefore also the other middle gifts are
necessary for salvation.

Response:

It should be said that as was said, the gifts are certain
perfections of man, by which man is disposed to follow well the
divine impulse. Hence, in those things in which the impulse of reason
is not sufficient, but the impulse of the Holy Spirit is necessary,
then a gift is also necessary.

Now man’s reason is in two ways perfected by God: first, with a
natural perfection, namely the natural light of reason; secondly,
with a supernatural perfection, by the theological virtues, as was
said above. And although this second perfection is greater than the
first, nevertheless man possesses the first perfection in a more
perfect way than he possesses the second perfection. For man
possesses the first perfection as his full possession, while he
possesses the second as an imperfect possession; for we imperfectly
love and know God. Now it is manifest that everything which perfectly
possesses a nature or form or power, can of itself act according to
it—though not apart from God’s action, who acts interiorly in
every nature and will. But that which has a nature or form or power
imperfectly, cannot act of itself, if it is not moved by another.
Thus the sun, which is perfectly bright, can give light of itself,
while the moon, which has the nature of light only imperfectly,
cannot give light unless it is illuminated [by
the sun]. Again, a doctor, who perfectly knows
the medical art, can act on his own; but his student, who is not yet
fully instructed, cannot act on his own, but only with the guidance
of his instructor.

Thus, with regard to the things that are subject to human reason,
i.e., in relationship to man’s natural end, man can act by the
judgment of reason. If in this action, man is nevertheless helped by
God by means of a special impulse, this will pertain to God’s
superabundant goodness. Hence according to the Philosophers, not
everyone who has the acquired moral virtues, has heroic or divine
virtues. But in relationship to the last supernatural end, to which
reason moves us insofar as it is in in a certain manner, and
imperfectly, formed by the theological virtues, the motion of reason
itself is not sufficient, unless the impulse and movement of the Holy
Spirit comes from above, according to Rom 8:14, 17, “They who are
led by the Spirit of God, are sons of God,” and “if you are sons,
then also heirs.” And in Ps 142:10 it is said, “Your good Spirit
will lead me into the right land,” i.e., because no one can arrive
at the inheritance of the land of the blessed, unless he is moved and
led by the Holy Spirit. And therefore in order to attain that end, a
man must have the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Replies to objections:

1. To the first, therefore, it should be said that the gifts
surpass the common perfection of the virtues, not as regards the kind
of works, as the counsels surpass the precepts; but as regards the
way of acting, insofar as man is moved by a higher principle.

2. To the second it should be said that the theological and moral
virtues do not perfect man in relationship to the last end, in such a
way that he does not always need to be moved by a certain higher
impulse of the Holy Spirit, for the reason just stated.

3. To the third it should be said that human reason does not know
all things, nor are all things possible to it, whether it is
perfected by natural perfection, or by the theological virtues. Hence
it cannot in every respect avoid foolishness, and other things of
this kind, which are there mentioned. But God, whose knowledge and
power extend to all things, by his movement can keep us safe from all
foolishness and ignorance and dullness and hardness and the other
things of this kind. And therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
which make us good followers of his impulse, are said to be given
against these kinds of defects.

Article 3

Whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit are
habits

Response:

It should be said that as was said above, the gifts are
perfections of man, by which he is disposed to follow well the
impulses of the Holy Spirit. Now it is evident from what has been
already said (q. 56, a. 4; q. 58, a. 2), that the
moral virtues perfect the appetitive power according as it partakes
in some manner in the reason, insofar as it has a natural aptitude to
be moved by the command of reason. The gifts of the Holy Spirit,
therefore, stand to man in relation to Holy Spirit, as the moral
virtues stand to the appetitive power in relation to the reason. Now
the moral virtues are habits by which the powers of appetite are
disposed to obey reason promptly. Therefore the gifts of the Holy
Spirit are habits whereby man is perfected to obey readily the Holy
Spirit.

Article 4

Whether the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit
are fittingly enumerated

Response:

It should be said that as was said, the gifts are certain habits
that perfect man so as to promptly follow the impulse of the Holy
Spirit, just as the moral virtues perfect the appetitive powers to
obey reason. Now just as the appetitive powers are naturally moved by
reason’s command, so all human powers are naturally moved by God’s
impulse, as by a certain higher power. And therefore in all man’s
powers that can be principles of human acts, as there are virtues, so
there are also gifts: namely in reason, and in the appetitive power.

Now reason is both speculative and practical: and in both respects
we find the apprehension of truth, which pertains to finding; and
judgment about the truth. Therefore for apprehending the truth,
speculative reason is perfected by understanding,
while practical reason is perfected by counsel.
For judging rightly, however, speculative reason is perfected by
wisdom, and practical
reason by knowledge.

The appetitive power, in things which relate to another person, is
perfected by piety. In
things that relate to itself, it is perfected by fortitude
against fear of dangers, while against inordinate desire of
pleasures, it is perfected by fear,
according to Prov., “By the fear of the Lord everyone turns aside
from evil”; and in Psa “pierce my flesh with fear of your, for I
was afraid of your judgments.” And thus it is evident that these
gifts extend to all the things that the virtues extend, both
intellectual and moral.

ST II-II Question 8, Article 6

Whether the gift of understanding is
distinct from the other gifts

Response:

It should be said that the distinction of the gift of
understanding from the other three gifts, namely piety, fortitude,
and fear, is evident; for the gift of understanding pertains to the
knowing power, while those three pertain to the appetitive power. But
the difference between the gift of understanding and the other
three—wisdom, knowledge, and counsel—which also pertain to the
knowing power, is not as evident.

Now it seems to some that the gift of understanding is distinct
from the gift of knowledge and counsel in this, that those two
pertain to practical knowledge, while the gift of understanding
pertains to speculative. And from the gift of wisdom, which also
pertains to speculative knowledge, it is distinct in this, that
judgment pertains to wisdom, while to understanding pertains the
ability to understand, or to penetrate to the depths of the things
that are proposed. And in this way we explained the number of the
gifts above.

But to one who considers the matter carefully, the gift of
understanding does not only regard speculative, but also practical
matters, as was said (in article 3 of this question); and similarly,
the gift of knowledge relates to both speculative and practical
matters, as will be said below. And therefore the distinction must be
understood differently.

All four of the aforesaid gifts are ordered to the supernatural
knowledge which is begun in us by faith. Now faith is “from
hearing,” as is said in Rom 10:17. Hence things must be proposed to
man for belief, not as things seen, but as things heard; and man
assents to these things by faith. Now faith first and primarily
relates to the First Truth, and secondarily to certain things to be
considered in regard to creatures, and then extends further still, to
the direction of human acts, inasmuch it “acts through love,” as
is evident from what was said. Thus, in regard to the things of faith
proposed for belief, two things are required on our part. First, they
must be understood or grasped by the intellect, and this pertains to
the gift of understanding.
Secondly, man must have right judgment about them, so that he judges
that he should cling to them, and go away from their opposites. This
judgment with regard to divine things pertains to the gift of wisdom,
while with regard to created things it pertains to the gift of
knowledge, and with regard
to the application to individual works it pertains to the gift of
counsel.

Article 5

Whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit are
connected

Objections:

It seems that the gifts are not
connected.

1. For the Apostle says in 1 Cor 12:8, “To one is given the word
of wisdom by the Spirit, to another is given the word of knowledge
according to the same spirit.” But wisdom are knowledge are
numbered among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the gifts of
the Holy Spirit are given to different persons, and are not all
connected with one another in the same person.

Response:

It should be said that the truth of this matter may be easily
gathered from what has already been said. For it was said above that
as the desiring powers are disposed by the moral virtues in relation
to the governance of reason, so all the powers of the soul are
disposed by the gifts in relation to the movement of the Holy Spirit.
Now the Holy Spirit dwells in us by charity, according to Rom. 5:5:
“The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy
Spirit, who is given to us,” just as our reason is perfected by
prudence. Hence, just as the moral virtues are all connected in
prudence, so the gifts of the Holy Spirit are all connected in
charity, so that whoever has charity has all the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, and no one can have any of them without charity.

Replies to objections:

1. To the first, therefore, it should be said that wisdom and
knowledge can be considered in one way insofar as they are
charismatic graces, i.e., insofar as someone abounds so much in
knowledge of divine and human things that he is able both to instruct
the faithful and to refute adversaries [of
the faith]. And in that passage the Apostle is
speaking in this way about wisdom and knowledge; hence he
significantly mentions the “word” of wisdom and knowledge.

Wisdom and knowledge can be taken in another way insofar as they
are gifts of the Holy Spirit. And thus wisdom and knowledge are
nothing other than certain perfections of the human mind, according
to which it is disposed to follow the impulses of the Holy Spirit in
the knowledge of divine or human things. And thus it is evident that
gifts of this kind are in all who have grace.

Article 6

Whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit remain
in the fatherland

[Summary of article]

The gift of the Holy Spirit will remain with regard to their
essence, and will be most perfect in the fatherland. But they will
not retain all of their present matter: e.g., they will no longer
strengthen one against trials, since there will be no trials there.

Article 8

Response:

It should be said that is is evident from what was said above, the
virtues can be distinguished into three kinds: theological,
intellectual, and moral. Theological virtues are those by which the
human mind is united to God, intellectual virtues are those by which
reason itself is perfected, and moral virtues are those by which the
appetitive powers are perfected so as to obey reason. And the gifts
of the Holy Spirit dispose all the soul’s powers to be subject to
the divine movement.

The comparison of the gifts to the theological virtues, by which a
man is united to the Holy Spirit as man’s mover, seems therefore to
be the same as the comparison of the moral virtues to the
intellectual virtues, which perfect reason, the mover of the moral
virtues. Hence, as the intellectual virtues are greater than the
moral virtues, and rule them, so the theological virtues are greater
than the gifts, and rule them. Hence Gregory says in Moralia,
“The seven sons,” i.e., the seven gifts, “never attain the
perfection of the number ten, unless all they do, they do in faith,
hope, and charity.”

But if we compare the gifts to the other virtues, intellectual or
moral, then the gifts are greater than the virtues. For the gifts
perfect the soul’s powers in relation to the Holy Spirit as their
mover, while the virtues perfect either reason itself, or the other
powers in relation to reason. But it is evident that in relation to a
higher mover, a mobile must be disposed by a greater perfection.
Hence the gifts are more perfect than these virtues.